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Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Press Release. Six new MATTEVELVET Nail Colors to slip into this WINTER/HOLIDAY season.

The best-selling, MATTEVELVET finish returns this holiday season with six new shades. Each nail polish perfectly opaque, matte color with that extra special ZOYA MATTEVELVET fleck finish everyone loves.

NOTE: MATTEVELVET nail color by Zoya is not intended to be worn with a base coat, glossy top coat or speed dryer. Due to the unique matte formulation, color is not as long-wearing as traditional nail color. A completely clean, dry surface yields the best results for matte nail color wear. To extend wear, apply one coat of the Zoya Matte Velvet Topcoat over your favorite matte shades after polish is completely dry.

OPI Designer Series released Spring 2006. Shimmer is a platinum linear holographic with a holographic shimmer using what OPI describes as "diamond dust technology." It is sheer enough to layer over other colors to make them holographic or you can wear it on its own with three to four coats. This polish is hard to find since it was released almost 10 years ago. I found one bottle at a nail salon and I bought one off of a destash on Pinterest.
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OPI DS 001 Shimmer

This picture is three coats on its own in my lightbox. The holographic effect is really intense. You do not have to be in direct sunlight to capture the rainbow, but I do wish the sun was out so I could show you. I'll have to use this again when the sun comes out.

Sunday, September 27, 2015

I wanted to mix the finishes of the Zoya 2015 collection in a nail art look. It was hard to decide what to do but I reminded myself I could do several more, so I went with this negative space striped look. I was inspired to do a negative space striped design by @bostonmerlin10 on Instagram.

So, I started with no base. In hindsight, I should've used a basecoat to reduce staining, but I forgot until I was halfway through. Whoops. I then used striping tape to make the negative space lines. Then, I filled in the design with Zoya Sia (blue cream), Lidia (purple cream), and Estelle (blue metallic). I'm digging the mix of finishes here and I'm planning more.Zoya can be purchased directly from Zoya.com or fromBeauty Brandsand Ulta.

Saturday, September 26, 2015

It's close to the end of the month, and I have not participated in a nail art challenge. That's just crazy. I decided to finally do one with the Push Your Mani prompt: Sweater Weather. It's not sweater weather here but it's fun to pretend.

I started with a base of OPI My Vampire is Buff. I then used the dry brush technique, which is wiping the nail polish brush almost clean and then wiping on your nail, with OPI Suzi Shops and Island Hops (bottle shot) and OPI This Gown Needs a Crown. I stamped over the base with a Pueen plate from the Make your Day Collection and M Polishes Elizabethan. I then topped it off with Zoya matte top coat.I really liked how this turned out. I'm big on cable knit sweater coats in cold weather and I have one exactly like this.Direct links are provided for products. OPI can be purchased at Beauty Brands and many other awesome retailers and salons.

Friday, September 25, 2015

For this weeks, Mommy's Mani Monday, the theme was favorite sport or hobby. The only sport I follow is University of Kentucky Basketball, not because I like it, because I can't escape it. It is on everywhere. So, I decided to go with my hobby, can you guess what it is? Yup, painting my nails.

I used Glam Polish Pow for the pink glitter. The base of my accent is OPI Non Stop White with a decal I made using Pueen Cosmetics plate from the Make Your Day Collection and M Polishes Cayuga.Links are provided for products used. OPI Infinite Shine Non Stop White can be purchased at Shop Beauty Brands!

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Press Sample/Affiliate Link. OPI Infinite Shine technology delivers gel shine, without the light, that lasts up to 10 days with soak free removal. I've been using this line for a few months and I enjoy the shine and wear time. Let's take a look at the Infinite Shine Soft Shades for 2015.Eternally Turquoise: minty blue. Three coats plus Infinite Shine top coat.

The Beige of Reason and Non Stop White: a sheer nude and stark white. These two go so well together for a french manicure. The first picture I took on the first day on my way to vacation. The second picture was taken at the end of the fifth day of wear.

The Beige of Reason, Non Stop White

The Beige of Reason, Non Stop White

The above manicure was done using the Infinite Shine base, three coats of The Beige of Reason, Non Stop White free handed on the tips and Infinite Shine top coat. I forgot to wrap the tip on my middle finger and you can tell. I did this the day before we went on vacation and lasted through swimming, Chucky Cheese, diaper changes, a birthday party, and everything that goes along with taking care of a three and just turned two-year-old. I'm confident this mani would last much longer, but I had to take it off, whomp whomp. I was really sad when I took this off.I have been using the Infinite Shine line for a few months and here are some tips I've learned: 1. The Infinite Shine base coat works best with these.2. Wait. Really let each layer dry before applying others. These dry really fast so waiting five to seven minutes, dependent on how thick you paint, is best. Otherwise you experience pulling of previous layers.3. Don't overwork the polish. It dries fast. Treat it as you would neons or mattes.4. Use the Infinite Shine top coat. This makes a world of difference. It'll end up smoothing out the imperfections. I tried my other quick dry top coats and did not get the same smoothing effect. The top coat can be tricky. I found floating the top coat on like I would top coating nail art worked best. If you don't do nail art, floating means using a generous amount of top coat without letting the brush touch the polish.OPI Infinite Shine Soft Shades can be purchased at beautybrands.com and other retail stores and salons.Visit OPI.com for more information!

Thursday, September 17, 2015

I've been looking at Bunny Nails holiday plates for awhile and I finally decided to buy one, Halloween plate HD-G. There are a great variety of images on this plate and they are a great size for my nails.

I tested each image using M Polish Cayuga and three different stampers (Messy Mansion, Creative Image, and Fab Ur Nails).

Each image picked up and transferred well.

On a few of the images, like the ones above, I had to lightly scrape one way and then lightly scrape in the reverse direction. The fingerprint was the trickiest, for me.

These look big on the computer screen, but they are small enough to fit on my nail. To give you a visual, each of these is slightly smaller than a dime.

And, look at the cute details. I love the spooky faces on these tombstones.

How awesome is this grim reaper with the Scream mask?!

This is misspelled. I didn't notice until I stamped it. So, unless you don't mind misspellings, this is an unusable image.I tested the spider web on my nails. I really like how this turned out. I used Finger Paints Black Expressionism and M Polish To Have and To Holo.

Overall, I really like this plate and I'm very glad I bought it. I'll be using most of these images during October. Bunny Nails HD-G retails for $17.99. Measurements are 14.5x9.5cm and 2x2.5cm approx. It took nine days from the date I placed my order for my plate to ship. It did take two full weeks to get to me. So, if you want to use this during most of October, you need to order it soon.Direct listing: Bunny Nails HD-G

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Press sample. Girlosity Cosmetics is releasing a six polish collection that includes creamy and glittery shades perfect for fall. First the pics and the important information.

Moonlit: "sparkling blue that captures the glow of the moon during the best season of the year!" Two coats plus top coat. This is a nice shade of blue and the sparkle is subtle, which I enjoy.

Moonlit

Moonlit, macro

Autumn Blaze: "deep reddish orange with gold sparkle." Two coats plus top coat. I love this shade. It leans a pretty deep pink on my skin tone and the sparkle really pops in this one.

Autumn Blaze

Autumn Blaze, macro

Turning Leaves: "glitter polish with green, red, yellow-orange, and copper glitter to represent the tree leaves as they turn color throughout the season." Three coats over a gold base (OPI Love.Angel.Music.Baby). This is pretty but I think it would look better over a copper base.

Turning Leaves

Turning Leaves, macro

Toasted: creamy taupe. Three coats. I love neurtral shades and this is a great taupe. I used three coats, but I believe if I was using the full size brush I would get this opaque with two coats. The formula on this cream was great; it was smooth and self-leveled.

Toasted

Toasted, macro

Pumpkin Spice: "nude pale peach with fine glitters in burnt orange and orange holo." Three coats plus top coat. I love the combination here; subtle, pretty, and with just a little added somethin' somethin' to make it fall like.

Pumpkin Spice

Pumpkin Spice, macro

Fall Berries: "shimmery berry that resembles the berries we see during the season." Two coats plus top coat. I love berry shades and the shimmer on this is subtle.

Fall Berries

Fall Berries, macro

Overall, I feel this is a great collection. The formulas on these were easy to work with. I was using the sample size bottle brushes and was still able to apply them pretty easy. The shades were great fall colors. Girlosity Cosmetics, Falling For Autumn, releases September 19, 2015.

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Last weekend, it turned a little bit chilly and it seemed fall was in the air. I had been wanting to do a fall gradient so what better time than a chilly weekend?

Tools needed: a light nude cream polish (I used OPI My Vampire is Buff), a light orange (I used OPI Where did Suzi's Mango), a red/orange (I used OPI Live.Love.Carnaval), and a brown cream (I used Zoya Desiree). You will also need a latex free cosmetic wedge sponge.Steps:1. Apply your favorite base coat.2. Apply you light nude cream as your base color.3. Cut your cosmetic wedge to the size of your biggest nail.4. Wet the sponge and squeeze out excess water until it is slightly damp, not saturated.5. Paint four lines on the wedge going from lightest to darkest.6. Blot the sponge on a paper towel, or other disposable surface. The sponge needs to have paint but not overly saturated.7. Blot the nail several times, applying pressure in different areas of the nail.8. Repeat on all nails.9. Repeat the process three times on each nail. I do all my nails and then go back and start over.10. Clean up your cuticle. I use an ELF concealer brush and Acetone.11. Top coat.As I type this out, I'm sitting in the air conditioned house getting ready to take the kids out to play in the pool because it's back in the upper 80's. Oh well, I don't really like rushing the seasons anyway. Zoya products are available at www.zoya.com. OPI products are available at Beauty Brandsand many other retail stores and salons.

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Provided for review. Dollish Polish is coming out with an epic Halloween collection, inspired by the Evil Dead trilogy, called Dead by Dawn. Arm yourself, because there's demonic forces ahead. No. Not really. There's pretties ahead. Lots of pretties and then the important information.

This is My Broomstick: cornflower/denim blue cream with blood red micro glitters and red shreds. Classic Ash in a bottle. Three coats plus top coat.

This is My Broomstick

This is My Broomstick, macro

Groovy: a black jelly LOADED with orange holographic glitters. Two coats plus top coat. This is hands down my favorite. I was very impressed with this.

Hail to the King Baby: a deep inky indigo duochrome with a purple/pink flash. Two coats plus top coat. My camera did not capture the accurate color of this. I included a color corrected image, but its still not accurate.

Hail to the King Baby

Hail to the King Baby, macro

Hail to the King Baby, color corrected? Almost. But, not really.

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Dollish Polish formulas are 5-free, vegan, and cruelty-free. The formula and application of each of these shades were great. Most were opaque in two coats, while a couple were opaque in three, as indicated above. It's my opinion that these are great polishes. Groovy is, without a doubt, Halloween in a bottle. I love this shade so much. It is stunning. KLAATU will be awesome for Halloween nail art. It is a lovely light gray that has the slightest hint of spooky green in it. I will be using it as the base of most of my Halloween stamping. The rest of the collection are just all around stunners, not just for Halloween. Each one has a subtle complexity that makes them unique and fabulous. Overall, I love this collection.The Dead by Dawn collection will launch at www.dollishpolish.com on Friday, September 18th and will be available through Halloween (October 31st, 2015). Don't miss out on this collection!